Another reason for a BUG

[Mark Garrity]

It never ceases to amaze me the number of LEOs that do not carry a back-up gun on duty. The general rationals for carrying a BUG are:
1. Your primary gun mechanically malfunctions/breaks
2. Your primary gun runs out of ammo
3. Your primary gun is taken from you
4. To arm an un-armed partner who has had 1, 2 or 3 occur.

A fellow-officer buddy of mine back east just described an incident to me that happened near the PD where I use to work, and it adds a
4th reason to the list - You cannot draw your primary gun.

The incident basically happened like this - After a brief foot pursuit of a bad guy, LE is taken by suprise before he has a chance to draw his pistol. The bad guy fires two shots from a .380. The first hits the officer in the thigh. He turns his gun-side toward the attacker as he falls, and the second shot hits his holster. The bullet lodges in the side of the holster and deforms the inside of the holster enough (or puts enough pressure against the gun) that he physically cannot draw his gun from it. He is not carrying a BUG and retreats to cover. Luckily the bad guy flees rather than continuing a deadly advance.

Now I suppose this could fall into catagory # 1 as an equipment malfunction, but it crtainly is an eye-opener and reminder that Murphy is always out there.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[HotGuns]

Yep...thats a good reason.

Reason no 2...

you are in a life and death struggle as Badguy struggles to get your gun which you have locked your hand onto and is still in the holster. The struggle continues while you both deliver and block blows wth your off hand. Its getting ugly and like most fights it goes to the ground. You fall on your holster effectively pinning it to the ground. Your off duty hand grabs your Backup and sticks gun in the ear of Badguy which ends the fight. This actually happend here and Im sure that it has happened in other places.

A great argument for 2 reasons...1. have a backup and 2. be able to use you OFF hand to get it.

[P95Carry]

That sure is a very salutary reminder.


.

[cockedlocked01]

I never understood why guys didn't carry a BUG. I remember having someone ride with me (A trainee). We introduce ourselves to each other & he asks what I think about if he was to carry a BUG. I told him far be it from me to limit ANYONE from doing so.

Another true story. A trainee of mine & talked talked frequently about BUGs. I told him simply, the time you don't could be the time you need it.

He passes training & carried a BUG. 2 weeks on his own, he gets into a shooting. His primary gun jammed. Fortunately, the BG fled the scene. I asked him later why he didn't pull his BUG. He wouldn't look at me as he said, "That was the first time I decided not to carry it."

You never know, period.

I've used autos as a BUG (A subcompact Glock to back-up the full size one). However, I preferred & most of the time did, carry a S&W J-frame revolver. I understand a revolver can fail too, & oftentimes when it fails, it's not an easy job to get it to action. But, if properly taken care of, they just seem to have less of a chance to malfunction.

[retsupt99]

I'm not a cop; I don't roam the streets fighting crime...IMHO, I don't feel I need a BUG...the chances of ME needing such equipment is pretty low. If such were the case, what if my BUG fails too?

Again...OMO

ret

[semperfi.45]

If such were the case, what if my BUG fails too?

KNIFE! In addition to G23 and a 442, I carry the Kabar TDI and an Emerson Wave for one handed access. If primary and BUG fail, anything goes!

[ShadeAngel]

I'm not a cop; I don't roam the streets fighting crime...IMHO, I don't feel I need a BUG...the chances of ME needing such equipment is pretty low. If such were the case, what if my BUG fails too?

Again...OMO

You are absolutely correct... but then again what are you chances of ever needing a gun at all?

The only time I don't carry a BUG is when the BUG is all that I can carry.

Chances are I will never need either, but I don't like taking chances, and when I do, I try to hedge the bet in my favor as much as possible.

IMHO...YMMV